Fire-alarm signaling apparatus.



No. 640,872. .A I Pat'ented'jani 9, I900.

L.'CAMPBELL. I FIRE ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 17, 1899.

2' Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

No.- 640,872. Patented Ian. 9, I900.

L. CAMPBELL. FIRE ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application' filed Mar. 17, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J" .4.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFrcE.

LOUDOUN CAMPBELL, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT J. THOMAS, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

FIRE-ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

"SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,872, dated January 9, 1 900.

Application filed March 17, 1899.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUDOUN CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements infire-alarm signaling apparatus, my object beto ing primarily to prevent illegal tampering with fire-alarm boxes. r

I provide such a structure that when an alarm is turned in the party so sounding said alarm will be detained at the box for a few minutes or until the arrival of firemen, policemen, or other authorized persons;

a I further provide such a device that when an alarm is sounded a local alarm will also be given, whereby the policemen and other persons in the vicinity will be notified that a party is at the box.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of the nature indicated my invention consistsin the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

Generally speaking, the present invention comprises, first, a box or casing within which is located the signaling apparatus, said casing having an opening thereinthrough which the hand of the party turning in the alarm must be inserted in order to reach the hook or other member which is to be moved in order to start the alarm mechanism, there being provided also members for engaging the hand and Wrist of the operator and preventing the immediate withdrawal of the hand; second, a mechanism in combination with the foregoing Whereby the operator is enabled to release himself, but such mechanism being so constructed and 0 arranged that a considerable length of time must elapse before the release has been ef-* fected, and, third, a local alarm of some nature in proximity to the box and connections between the box and said local alarm whereby such alarm is given when the fire-alarm proper is turned in.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the present invention, the parts being shown applied to a post and the door of the box being shown open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the door and the detainon the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

ing mechanism, the outer casing being re- Serial No. 709,432. (No model.)

moved. Fig. 3 is a central sectionallelevation of the part shown in Fig. 2, the supplemental casing being in place. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the door with the parts carried thereby. Fig. 5 is a front view of a box provided with a modified form of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a'view looking to the left Fig. 7 is a detail rear elevation looking to the right on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 8 is a detail of a lock which can be employed.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, A represents a box for containing the usual fire-alarm signaling apparatus, said box being provided with the customary hinged door a. The usual operating-lever of the firealarm signaling apparatus is represented by b, and 0 represents a local signal included in a local circuit, this signal being here shown as an electric bell. The box and bell are illustrated as mounted upon a post; but it is manifest that any convenient form of mounting can be employed.

Extending through the door of the box is a casing 1, mounted horizontally and having its front endthat is, the end upon the outer side of the doorclosed by a wall 2, said wall having therein an opening 3, the purpose of which will be more fullyhereinafter described. A flange 4 extends around the outer side of the casing, the casing extending through an opening in the door, and said flange rests against the outer side of the door and receives bolts 5 or other securing members, by which the door and easing are fastened together.

'At a suitable point on the interior wall of the casing is a flange 6, and to this flange arefastened the members which engage the operao tor and prevent the withdrawal of his hand after turning in an alarm. The said detain-v ing mechanism comprises a series of substantially triangular plates 7, which are preferably constructed of resilient material, the points extending inwardlythat is, toward the back of the box-while their outer edges are struck up to provide flanges 9, which rest against the inner face of the flange 6 and receive the screws or other securing meansby which the said triangular plates are fastened upon the flange 6. These plates 7 being constructed as indicated and arranged about the opening through the casing, it will be apparent that normally the points of the plates lie close together and that when the hand or wrist is inserted between these points the plates will yield to permit the insertion of the hand; but withdrawal of the hand will be impossible, the points engaging the flesh.

The mechanism for releasing the operator from the plates 7 is now to be considered. It will be seen that each plate is pressed in wardly by means of a spring 10, which has a coil 11, fitting over a small bar 12 parallel to the flange 6. The forward end of the spring 10 rests upon the outer face of its plate 7. A yoke 15, secured to the upper side of each plate 7, projects through a suitable opening 16 in the casing, whereby there is provided a slotted member which receives in such slota cam-plate or wedge 17 upon a collar 18, slidable on the casing. The said wedges have inclined edges 19, which engage the yokes, said edges slanting from the yokes upwardly toward the collar, whereby as the collar is forced along the casing toward the door the wedges raise the yokes, and consequently the plates 7 are raised, their points being thus carried away from each other, and when the points are fully separated the hand of the operator can be readily withdrawn. Manifestly if this releasing mechanism were fully under the control of the operator and he could rapidly move the collar in order to raise the plates the object of the present invention would be defeated. On the other hand, however, it would in some instances work ahardship were the operator to be detained indefinitely at the box awaiting the arrival of the fire department, for at times the wires may be out of order and the alarm may not have sounded. I therefore provide a mechanism whereby the operator can release himself. The inner end of the casing is provided with a fine screw-thread, as indicated at 20, while upon this thread and adjacent to the inner side of the collar 18 is a nut 21, which has gear-teeth upon its periphery. Mounted in suitable bearings at the side of the nut is a relatively-long pinion '22, which meshes with the teeth upon the nut. This pinion has a Very small diameter compared to that of the nut and has a small operating-crank 23 secured upon the same. It will now be apparcut that the doorhaving opened at the sound ing of the alarm (by mechanism to be more fully hereinafter described) the operator can, by turning the pinion 22, slowly feed forward the nut, and consequently the collar, and thus after a suiiicient time the plates 7 will be swung outwardly, and the hand can therefore be withdrawn. In order to provide for movement of the collar over the threads without injuring the same, the casing is preferably provided with grooves 24, which receive lugs 25, extending inwardly from the collar. These logs ride on the bottom of the grooves, and thus hold the collar out of contact with the threads.

In order to place the releasing mechanism out of the'control of the operator except by means of the pinion 22, a supplemental casing 26 is provided about the inner portion of the casing 1, said supplemental casingbeing secured to the inner side of the door of the box.

The main casing 1 has an opening 28 for the insertion of the hand in its under side, so that in order to reach the operating-lever of the signaling mechanism the hand must be inserted and bent, thus preventing the possibility of merely running a rod or stick through the casing 1 to engage the operating-lever h by the same. In order to protect the parts from the weather, &c., a door 29 is pivoted at the forward end of the casing-opening 28, said door being normally pressed outwardly by means of a suitable spring 30, and upon the side of the door 29 toward the casing-wall 2 is a knob 3i, adapted when the door is opened to project through the opening 3 in the casing-wall. Thus as the hand of the operator is inserted the door yields, and when the detaining members have been thrown into releasing position and the operator desires to withdraw his hand the door is held out of the way by the operator, who holds with his other hand the knob 31, projecting through the open ing 3. After the hand has been withdrawn by releasing this knob the door closes.

As previously indicated, my invention contemplates such an arrangement of the parts that as soon as the alarm is sounded the door of the box can be opened by the operator in order that he may release his hand, and this is accomplished by means of connections between the bolt of the door and the lever Z), whereby when the lever is pulled the bolt is withdrawn. Manyformsotsuchconnections will readily suggest themselves, and I have here shown a bell-crank lever 32, pivoted upon the inner side of the door, said lever having one of its arms in engagement with the bolt 33 of the door-lock,while its otherarm is provided with a pin 34, which when the door is closed lies in the path of movement of the operating-lever i).

The sounding of the local alarm 0 when the alarm proper is turned in is efiected, as shown, by so constructing the parts that when the door 29 is moved the circuit including the local alarm is completed, and preferably this circuit remains closed until the hand of the operator is withdrawn from the box. In the construction here illustrated one of the wires of the local-alarm circuit is connected to the casing, as by means of one of the bolts 5 for securing the flange 4 to the door, while the other wire of the local-alarm circuit is attached to a spring contact-plate 35, fastened upon the casing l at one side of the door 29, said plate being suitably insulated from the casing, as by means of an interposed piece 36 of insulating material. The plate 35 extends inwardly from-a point slightly behind the door 29, along the full length of movement of said door, so that although when the door is closed Ice the local circuit is open said circuit is closed during the time that the door is open.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that although the fire-alarm can be readily and promptly turned in the person so turning in the alarm is detained until the arrival of the department or for a time while he is releasing himself, this insuring in most cases the apprehension of one turning in a false alarm. Furthermore, when an alarm is turned in or any attempt is made to turn in an alarm a local alarm is given, thus notifying the policeman on the beat and other parties that there is a fire and that the alarm has been turned in and aiding in the capture of any person illegally tampering with the box.

In the modification illustrated I have shown a construction by which the releasing mechanism is out of the control of the operator, so that he must remain at the box until the arrival of some authorized party. In this modification the box is divided by the partition a, by which there are provided compartments, one of which contains the signaling apparatus, while in the other is located the portion of the casing 1 provided with the releasing mechanism. The partition has an opening in line with the opening through the casing, so that the operating-lever b is accessible to the operator while the compartment containing the releasing mechanism is closed by the locked door a keys to which are to be carried by firemen and policemen. In this modification thenut and the pinion are absent, and in their place is substituted a yoke-lever 37, whose inner end is pivoted to the back plate of the box, while the yoke encircles the casing and rests against the releasing-collar, the forward end 38 of the lever projecting in a suitable manner to be grasped. Th us when the alarm is sounded the operators hand is caught by the plates 7, and the operator must remain at the box until the arrival of some person who can open the door of the compartment and release him by operating the lever 38.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated a construction bymeans of which a local alarm is given whenever the door of the box is unlocked. In this figure a terminal spring-plate 39, connected to one pole of the signal-circuit, is located in the path of the projecting lock-bolt 33, the other pole of said circuit being connected to the bolt through the lock-casing 40 or otherwise. It will thus be apparent that when the bolt is in locking position the circuit is open; but when the bolt is thrown into unlocking position it contacts with the terminal plate 39, thus completing the circuit and giving the alarm. I may in some instances thus operate the local alarm G from the lock instead of from the detaining device.

It will be evident that my invention is applicableto alarm-boxes for use in calling the police department and for any other purposes which require an alarm-box to be used in a public place, where it is likely to be operated without cause by mischievous persons. I do .not therefore limit my invention strictly to fire-alarm systems, although it is chiefly designed for them.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an alarm signaling-box, having an opening in an exterior wall through which the signal devices can be actuated, of means for engaging a hand when inserted through said opening, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an alarm signaling-box having an opening in one of its walls through which access is had to the signal devices, ot' yielding, inwardly-pointed, members arranged about said opening and adapted to permit a hand to be inserted through the opening but to retain the hand when so inserted, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an alarm signaling-box having an opening in one wall through which access is had to the signal devices, of inwardly-pointed plates mounted about said opening, and means for yieldingly holding the inner ends of said plates in juxtaposition, whereby said plates will yield to permit the insertion of a hand but will bear upon the inserted hand and prevent its withdrawal.

4. The combination with an alarm signaling-box having formed therein an opening through which access is had to the signal devices, of a series of pointed plates of resilient material secured about said opening and normally extending into the line of the same, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with an alarm signaling-box having in one of its walls an opening, of a casing extending through said opening, and members carried by said casing for engaging and preventing the withdrawal of a hand inserted through the same, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with an alarm signaling-box having an opening formed in one of its walls, of a casing extending through said opening, a flange upon the inner wall of said casing, and spring-pressed detaining-plates mounted upon said flange, substantially as described.

7. The combination with an alarm signaling-box having an opening in one of its walls, of a casing secured upon said wall and having an opening out of line with the opening therein, and mechanism for engaging and detaining a hand in position to actuate the signal devices within the box, substantially as described. A

8. The combination in an alarm signalingbox, of a signal-operating member, a wall having an opening therein, detaining devices extending into the line of said opening and movable toward and from each other, and means ad justably connected with said detainin g devices for moving them into inoperative positions, substantially as described.

9. The combination in an alarm signalingbox, of a si gnal-operatin g member, a wall provided with an opening therein, detaining devices extending into the line of said opening and movable toward and from each other, a series of cams, each engaging with one of said detaining devices, and means for simultaneously moving said cams to adjust the detain ing devices toward and from each other, substantially as described.

10. The combination, in an alarm signalingbox, of a Wall having an opening therein through which the signal apparatus can be actuated, detaining devices extending into the line of said opening, and movable toward and from each other, a yoke extending outwardly from each of the detaining devices, a series of wedges extending into the slots of said yokes, and means for positively moving said wedges into and from said slots, substan tially as described.

11. The combination, in an alarm signalingbox, of means for engaging and retaining a hand operating the signal device, and mechanism under the control of the operator for moving said engaging means into an inactive position, substantially as described.

12. The combination, in an alarm signaling box of a wall provided with an opening through which the signal device can be actuated, means for engaging and detaining a hand inserted through said opening, and mechanism under the control of the operator for slowly releasing the hand, substantially 5 as described. 7

13. The combination in an alarm signaling box having an opening in one of its Walls through which access is had to the signal devices, of devices arranged about said opening for engaging and detaining a hand therethrough inserted, a releasing device comprising a stationary support and a sleeve or col-' lar mounted on and movable longitudinally of said support, and connections between said 5 sleeve and the detaining devices for moving the latter out of operative position by movement of the former along its support, substantially as described.

14. The combinationin an alarm signalingbox having an opening in one of its walls,

means arranged about said opening for engaging and retaining a hand therethrough in- .serted, a releasing device comprising an externally-threaded support, and a sleeve or nut mounted on and engaging with the threads of said support, connections between said nut and the detaining devices for moving the latter out of operative position by movement of the former along the threads, gear-teeth upon said nut and a relatively small pinion meshing with said teeth, said pinion being provided with means whereby the same can be rotated by the operator.

15. The combination, of an alarm signalingbox having an opening in one wall through which access is had to the signal mechanism, detaining devices movable toward and from each other and extending into the line of said 7 opening, a support secured to said box-wall about the opening therein, a sleeve slidable upon said support and connected with said detaining devices, and means under the control of the operator for moving the sleeve on its support and imparting movement to the detaining devices, substantially as described.

16. The combination, in an alarm signalingboX having a door, of asignal-operating member, a wall having an opening therein, detaining devices arranged about said opening for engagingahand inserted therethrough,a lock for said door, connections between the signaloperating member and the lock whereby when the signal-operating member is moved the lock is released, and mechanism formoving the detaining devices into inoperative positions, substantially as described.

17. The combination with an alarm signaling apparatus, including a metal door through which access is had to the signaling mechanism, and a contact member adapted to be engaged by the door when the same is opened, of a local electrically-operated signaling apparatus, one of the wires from said local signaling apparatus being connected to the door and the otherwire being connected to the said contact member, substantially as described.

18. The combination in an alarm signalingbox of a signal-operating member, a wall having an opening therein, a casing about said opening, said casinghaving an opening provided with a door, an opening in the wall against which the door opens, means for yieldingly holding the door in closed position, and a member projecting from said door and adapted when the door is opened to project through the said opening in the casing-wall, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a box inclosiug a signal apparatus of an alarm system, of asupplemental casing secured to the door of the box, a door for normally closing an opening in said supplemental casing through which an operators hand must be passed before the signal apparatus can be actuated, and a local electric circuit, including a bell, adapted to be closed by openingsaid door in the supplemental casing, substantially as described.

20. The combination with a box inclosing a signal apparatus of an alarm system, of a supplemental casing secured to the door of the box, a door for normally closing an opening in the lower side of said supplemental casing and which must be opened before the signal apparatus can be actuated, and a local signal adapted to be sounded by the opening of said door in the supplemental casing, substantially as described.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUDOUN CAMPBELL. Witnesses:

J AMES A. WATSON, S. A. TERRY. 

